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Agnaktor Ecology
In-Game Description Also known as Fire-Pike Wyverns, Agnaktor uses its tough snout and great strength to burrow through rocks and sometimes even cave ceilings. It is encrusted with hardened lava that can be softened from the heat when they spit magma or burrow. Taxonomy Order:Leviathan - Suborder:Sea Wyvern - Infraorder:Flame Wyvern - Family:Agnaktor. Agnaktor is a Leviathan, sharing the same Suborder as Lagiacrus and the Royal Ludroth, but it does not live in water. Its younger form are the Uroktor, also found in the Volcano. Agnaktor itself was once a rare sighting, large increase of numbers may be why the guild no longer has a ban on hunting this species. Habitat Range Agnaktor is found exclusively in the Volcano's of the New World. It is highly adapted to life there, and is at home amongst the lava pits and rocky slopes. A subspecies of the Agnaktor known as Glacial Agnaktor have recently been discovered inhabiting the Tundra. Ecological Niche Agnaktor is at the top of the food chain in the Volcano. However, it competes with Rathalos, Brute Tigrex, Stygian Zinogre,and Brachydios. It is large enough to prey on any Herbivore it comes across along with Wroggi/Great Wroggi, and is more than capable of fending off an aggressive Rathalos, Uragaan and Brute Tigrex with its powerful Heat Beam and strong physical attacks in case challenged for food. It would also be capable of driving away a wandering Deviljho, provided that the Deviljho was either young or injured it may wrap around it in a snake like behavior. Biological Adaptations Agnaktor has developed the remarkable ability to swim through lava, meaning it can both sneak up on prey and escape from a more powerful enemy. It has a very strong beak which it uses to burrow straight through hard volcanic rock at incredible speeds, and even launch itself into the 'ceiling' of an area and to crack open the sturdy shells of the Rhenoplos. It is also capable of producing a very powerful Heat Beam, which it can maneuver a full 360 degrees with its long neck. How it produces said beam is uncertain, although it may create sparks when it snaps its beak rapidly, which is what it does before firing. The Agnaktor's skin is coated with lava, which hardens into a thick armor of rock, earning them the title "Crimson Armor". However, when the Agnaktor touches the lava, its lava coating becomes soft again. Its chest and beak armor will also soften if it fires its beam, which seemingly implies that the mechanism behind its beam attack is related to its chest somehow. Furthermore, its beak armor alone softens whenever it attacks by jabbing its beak through the ground, exposing it to the lava underneath. This harder coat of black rock as it cools down, as well as the softer skin armor when it heats up, may represent a tactical adaptation, trading defense for a fire element or vice-versa. The Agnaktor does not seem to have very well developed eyesight, as it does not seem to notice the hunter until it is right on top of it. This is possible because it spends much of its time in magma, or underground. Behavior Agnaktor are reasonably aggressive, challenging all others that encroach on its habitat, due to the fact that it has no natural predators at a adult age. The only threat that it encounters is if a monster challenges it for territory or food. Rathalos can pose a threat but it seems Agnaktor can fend it off easily using its powerful bite, and the heatbeam can do damage as well. Deviljho and Brute Tigrex, aggressive and equally powerful predators, also pose a danger to Agnaktor. Brachydios is also known to be able to defeat an Agnaktor, as shown in Brachydios' ecology video. If such an encounter were to happen, the Agnaktor can usually tunnel into lava and escape, or choose to fight, depending on the circumstances. Agnaktor would not likely steal a kill from predators like these given the risk of being fatally injured, but they will not back down if challenged over a kill of their own. It can attack directly, using its great strength and powerful bite, or it can launch an ambush attack from either the lava or below the solid rock floor. An Agnaktor's beak is more than capable of slicing through rock, so a strike from underneath doesn't give the target much hope of survival. Agnaktor and its younger counterparts both snap their beaks in a manner that may suggest it is how they communicate with one another. This snapping may be used for a multitude of reasons whether it be for alerting danger, mating displays, or even just socializing. When the breeding season arrives both male and female will climb or swim to the summit of a active volcano to mate, this is also were most Agnaktor learn the dig through the ceiling technique. The female will then make a nest somewhere near the top and then the give live birth to 2-30 individuals at a time. Agnaktor who use the ceiling digging attack have mated at least once in their life. Category:Monster Ecology Category:Leviathan Ecology